National Student Clearinghouse Research Center

What National Student Clearinghouse Research Center does

The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research organization, headquartered at 2300 Dulles Station Blvd., Suite 220, Herndon, Virginia, operating as the research arm of the parent National Student Clearinghouse. It publishes objective, nationwide data on U.S. postsecondary education metrics — covering enrollment, persistence, retention, completion, and transfer outcomes — drawing on student-level records submitted by nearly 100% of American colleges and universities. The Center's core technology is its national data network rather than a software product; it ingests institutional records and produces longitudinal cohort analyses at a scale no competing source replicates, currently tracking 15.5 million undergraduate enrollments (spring 2026) and 2.62 million fall 2024 entrants.

The Center operates a portfolio of ten recurring publication series — Persistence and Retention, Enrollment Insights, Undergraduate Degree Earners, Tracking Transfer, Yearly Progress and Completion, High School Benchmarks, Some College No Credential, Transfer Enrollment and Pathways, PDP Insights, and College Closures — distributed as free reports, Tableau-based interactive dashboards, and downloadable data appendices. It also runs a Custom Research service for organizations needing bespoke analyses. The core go-to-market is sales-led: standard publications are freely available through the website and email subscriptions to drive top-of-funnel reach, while Custom Research engagements are closed through direct sales conversations with foundations, government agencies, and institutional clients.

The revenue model is a hybrid of philanthropic and fee-for-service. Standard publications are provided at no cost, while Custom Research is quote-based professional services revenue. The Center is funded in part by foundation grants — notably Lumina Foundation for the Some College, No Credential series, Arnold Ventures for the college closures series, and Ascendium Education Group for transfer and income analyses — and by government awards including the Institute of Education Sciences for the Transfer Enrollment and Pathways series. Distribution reaches policymakers, institutional leaders, and business leaders via the website, email newsletter, social media (LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Instagram), expert-panel webinars, and direct Custom Research engagement.

Name

National Student Clearinghouse Research Center

Legal name

National Student Clearinghouse Research Center

Website

https://nscresearchcenter.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center is a nonprofit research arm of the National Student Clearinghouse that publishes nationwide data on U.S. postsecondary enrollment, persistence, retention, completion, and transfer outcomes, serving policymakers, institutional leaders, and business leaders with reports, dashboards, and custom research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Research Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (6117), Educational Support Services (611710), Libraries and Archives (51921)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Conference Proceedings & Research Reports Publishing (EDAGAFAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Research & Pedagogy Scholarly Publishing (EDAGAFAH), Interdisciplinary & Multidisciplinary Scholarly Publishing (EDAGAFAI), Research, Evaluation & Program Effectiveness Reporting (EDADAIAM)

Keywords

• Higher education research
• Postsecondary data analytics
• Student outcomes reporting
• Enrollment data services
• Education research publications

Headquarters

HQ city

Herndon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Research Publications and Custom Research Services: The Research Center publishes relevant, objective data on postsecondary metrics to serve the higher education community. They offer custom research services for organizations seeking specific data analyses beyond their standard publications.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center publishes objective data and research reports on U.S. postsecondary education outcomes, covering enrollment, persistence, retention, completion, transfer patterns, and college closures. It operates ten recurring research report series built on a national student-level data network covering the majority of U.S. postsecondary institutions, and it provides a custom research service for organizations seeking specialized analyses beyond the standard publications.

Product overview

The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center offers a portfolio of research report series and data services focused on postsecondary education outcomes. The core offerings are ten distinct publication series covering enrollment, persistence, retention, transfer, completion, and college closure topics. These are distributed as data dashboards and PDF reports to policymakers and business leaders. The organization also offers a Custom Research service for organizations needing specialized analysis. The Research Center's unique value lies in its access to data from the majority of U.S. postsecondary institutions, enabling nationwide student outcome tracking that no other organization provides.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Postsecondary Data Partnership (PDP): Postsecondary Data Partnership - A service providing institutions with comprehensive student data, centralized reporting functions, and interactive visualizations with benchmarking functionality.

Products and services

• Persistence and Retention Report Series Report series tracking first-year college persistence and retention patterns, including enrollment into the second fall and first spring terms, with analysis across student groups, institutions, and states. For higher education policymakers, institutional researchers, and business leaders.
• Clearinghouse Enrollment Insights Three-report annual series providing fall enrollment trends (preliminary in November, comprehensive final in January) and spring data in early June. For higher education analysts and institutional planners.
• Undergraduate Degree Earners Annual analysis of undergraduate completers by demographic and educational profile for each academic year. For higher education researchers and workforce analysts.
• Tracking Transfer Report series on outcomes for students who start at community colleges and transfer to four-year institutions, including retention after transfer and bachelor's completion rates. For higher education institutions and policymakers.
• Yearly Progress and Completion Report tracking student progress toward credential attainment by following cohorts from postsecondary entry through six- and eight-year completion rates, covering certificate, associate degree, and bachelor's degree completion. For policymakers and institutional leaders.
• High School Benchmarks Annual report providing data on high school graduates' postsecondary enrollment, persistence, and completion outcomes, disaggregated by high school income, minority, and locale characteristics. For K-12 and higher education stakeholders.
• Some College, No Credential Annual report series tracking educational trajectories of U.S. adults who left postsecondary education without receiving a credential, including re-enrollment rates and credential completion outcomes. For workforce and higher education policymakers.
• Transfer Enrollment and Pathways Report series on transfer enrollment and pathways of undergraduate students, including transfer volume, origin and destination institutions, and student demographics. For institutional researchers and federal education agencies.
• PDP Insights: Early Indicators of Timely Completers Postsecondary Data Partnership Insights report analyzing four key early success indicators: first-year credit completion ratio, credits earned, GPA, and second-year enrollment, predicting timely completion. For participating institutions.
• College Closures and Student Outcomes Dashboard and report series examining how students are affected by college closures, including characteristics of closed institutions and reenrollment rates of students who became part of the Some College No Credential population following closure. For state education agencies and policymakers.
• Custom Research Engagement-based service allowing organizations to work directly with the Research Center team to design research answering specific questions using the Clearinghouse's national data authority. Quote-based pricing. For policymakers, foundations, and business leaders.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85.8% of students who entered college in fall 2024 continued enrollment into spring 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2022Collaboration on a three-report series examining the impacts of college closures on student outcomes. The first report was co-produced in November 2022, with SHEEO continuing to leverage the Research Center's data for subsequent causal analysis reports.
• Data Quality CampaignminorOthersThe organization is a supporter of the Student Data Principles, demonstrating commitment to responsible data practices in education.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• College Board: Nonprofit organization that publishes widely used higher education data and reports on college enrollment, persistence, and completion. Comparable to NSCRC in serving institutional and policy audiences with national postsecondary outcome data, though College Board has a broader portfolio.
• Inside Higher Ed: Digital media and research organization serving the higher education community, including surveys and reports on enrollment, completion, and policy. Comparable to NSCRC's audience of institutional leaders, policymakers, and business leaders who use both for higher education intelligence.
• National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): The federal statistical agency that administers IPEDS and other national education data systems. NSCRC and NCES serve overlapping audiences (policymakers, researchers) with national postsecondary data, and they are frequently cited together as the two primary sources of national higher education outcomes.

Direct peers

• State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO): National association of state higher education executives that publishes the State Higher Education Finance (SHEF) report and state-level data. Already a collaboration partner with NSCRC, but overlapping as a publisher of national and state-level higher education data.
• EAB (Education Advisory Board): Membership-based research and consulting firm that provides data-driven insights and benchmarking to higher education institutions. EAB's institutional research services and analytics offerings directly overlap with NSCRC's benchmarking and outcomes focus for college and university leaders.
• Tyton Partners: Education-focused consulting and investment banking firm that produces research on higher education and workforce outcomes. Comparable to NSCRC's custom research and policy advisory work for foundations and education-sector organizations.
• Eduventures (by Encoura): Higher education research and advisory firm that publishes data on prospective student demand, enrollment, and marketing strategies. Comparable to NSCRC in delivering research reports with national-level postsecondary data to institutions and policymakers.

Emerging players

• NASFAA (National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators): National association that produces research and data on student aid, persistence, and completion outcomes. Comparable to NSCRC for serving policymakers and institutional leaders with data on student outcomes and pathways.
• Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching: Foundation that maintains the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education and related research on institutional performance. Comparable to NSCRC for producing widely used national classification and outcome frameworks for US higher education.

Regional players

• Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE): Regional higher education compact that produces the Knocking at the College Door and other postsecondary data publications. Comparable to NSCRC for publishing national projections and outcomes data, with a regional focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/nsclearinghouse
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/NSClearinghouse
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-student-clearinghouse
• Instagraminstagram.com/NSClearinghouse

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Student Clearinghouse Research Center